


Alex, Henry, Jack & Bitty

by haj_ca



Category: Check Please! (Webcomic), Red White & Royal Blue - Casey McQuiston
Genre: Domestic Fluff, M/M, Marriage
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-02
Updated: 2019-08-25
Packaged: 2020-07-29 09:56:28
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 6,279
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20080294
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/haj_ca/pseuds/haj_ca
Summary: Celebrity couple Alex & Henry become friends with that other celebrity couple, Jack & Bitty.  They may become something more than friends.





	1. Alex & Henry

**Author's Note:**

> The "Red White & Royal Blue" / "Check, Please!" cross-over that no one really needs. But both works are great and they have lovely characters that could be fun together.

After a long day at the law library, Alex lets himself into the brownstone in Brooklyn shortly after midnight. He is accompanied by Amy, his Secret Service detail. Henry’s bodyguards are in the house next door, where a small, joint U.S.-British protective detail command center is set up.

“Goodnight, Amy. I’m sorry to keep you in the library so late. It must be pretty boring.”

“Not a problem. I got a bunch of my embroidery work done,” Amy replies with a smile that belies her reputation for efficiently and ruthlessly protecting Alex, the son of Ellen Claremont, the President of the United States.

Despite the late hour, Alex is wide awake. He lives on little sleep and massive amounts of coffee. He had never slept much, always working tirelessly behind the scenes to prove himself at school or on campaigns, but also to add substance to his celebrity status as the young and handsome First Son of the United States, or FSOTUS for short. FSOTUS is the nickname the press gave him after his mother first won election to the presidency in 2016. He didn’t entirely dislike the moniker, but it also crystalised the reality of the public scrutiny of his life as the half-white, half-Latino son of a prominent political family, and especially in the few years since he fell in love with Henry, a British prince and heir to the throne.

Alex and Henry’s relationship was blown open to the public after a hack of their emails orchestrated by his mother’s political opponents during her re-election campaign in 2020. That was a transatlantic political and media shitshow. Henry and Alex responded to the outing with honesty and heart, and Alex’s mom won re-election by a narrow margin.

Alex still cannot believe the overwhelming public support that Henry and he have received. There are still some vocal detractors, bigots and homophobes that hang out mostly around the unseemly fringes of the internet but also on some more prominent right-wing media outlets like Fox News.

Alex thought that Henry was already asleep, but he saw the lights in their bedroom were still on as he climbed the stairs inside their home. Like Alex, Henry also didn’t sleep enough, mostly due to the pressure on him as an heir to the British throne and that he is the first royal in modern British history to be in an open same-sex relationship, with the son of the president of the United States no less. Henry also runs a global foundation headquartered in New York that funds and manages programs providing housing for homeless queer youth. He bought the brownstone to move to New York to live with Alex.

“There’s a hot prince in my bed,” Alex declares as he walks into the bedroom. Henry is laying on the bed propped up against the headboard with a laptop open and papers strewn around him. He’s wearing boxer shorts and one of Alex’s old Georgetown t-shirts, which is a size too small for Henry since he has a few inches on Alex. Alex admires the sight. The t-shirt clings tightly to Henry’s tall, lean and well muscled body. Alex can’t help but to be taken in again by Henry’s handsome face, tousled blond hair and vivid blue eyes. And those shoulders. Henry has great shoulders.

Alex still cannot believe how lucky he is to be with Henry. And he knows Henry thinks the same about him.

“I always greet my subjects from a position of comfort,” Henry says from the bed with an amused expression.

“Chyeah, right,” Alex replies facetiously even though he can feel the warmth for his boyfriend spreading in his chest. “We threw your lot out nearly 250 years ago. Still clinging to that imperial attitude I see.”

“But here you are, and I am ready to fulfill my duty to serve,” Henry quips.

“Now you sound like your stiff ass brother,” Alex says with an exaggerated eye roll and chuckle as he turns to walk into the bathroom.

“Dieu et mon droit, as it reads on the royal crest, and all that,” Alex hears Henry respond from the bedroom as he’s brushing his teeth.

Alex emerges from the bathroom wearing only his boxer briefs. He climbs on to the bed and gives Henry a gentle kiss.

“Hello,” Henry says after their lips part.

“Hi,” Alex smiles.

“Good day?”

“Yes, very productive. I know the material and I’m ready for the exams next week. Several of my classmates are freaking out but that’s law school for you. There are a lot of mind games go on. That also happens a shit ton in politics and I’m used to it, especially growing up with and being involved in my parents’ political campaigns.”

“I have no shortage of confidence that you are going to perform brilliantly. You are one of the smartest people I know. You also have that Han Solo swagger that gets you through. I love you.”

“I know,” Alex responds with a mock serious expression. Henry snorts. Alex cracks a smile. “You see, ‘Empire Strikes Back’ is the best and most quotable Star Wars movie.”

“Just call me Leia then,” Henry says.

“Done. Oh, and I love you too,” Alex says fondly, sitting up next to Henry and giving him a quick peck on the cheek while sliding his arm behind Henry to hold him. “What are you working on?”

“The foundation is setting up a joint program with a nonprofit group called You Can Play, which runs programs to promote the inclusion of LGTB kids in sports.”

“There was definitely a ‘bro culture’ when I played lacrosse in high school. Words like ‘fag’ were casually thrown around. It was often a toxic environment,” Alex recalls.

“Exactly,” Henry says. “That is unfortunately still a problem, particularly with team sports, and it ostracizes queer youth. There is almost certainly a link there with depression and suicide and homelessness too. You Can Play is working with some famous professional athletes who have come out, like Jack Zimmerann and Kent Parson, you know, the hockey players. I’m researching their backgrounds now.”

“Oh yeah,” Alex replies. “I don’t know much about hockey, the game, it wasn’t really a thing in Texas, but Jack Zimmermann is a star. His team, the Providence Falconers, won the Stanley Cup a few years ago, in 2017 I think. He kissed his boyfriend on the ice during the celebration after the win, which was broadcast on national TV. First active NHL player to come out publicly. It was a big deal.”

“Right, the Stanley Cup win was in 2017,” Henry says. “I’ve already read about Zimmermann’s coming out. It appears that his team, the NHL, and his family and friends have been exceptionally supportive. The fans mostly but not always. The slurs at games still occur sometimes. He’s now married to the guy he kissed on TV. His name is Eric Bittle, and they played on the same hockey team at university.”

“I think I knew they both played hockey at Samwell,” Alex says. “What else did you learn about Zimmermann?”

“Jack has overcome a lot to get where he is. A hockey prodigy trying to follow in his famous athlete father’s footsteps, he had some sort of mental breakdown when he was 18 as he was just about to be recruited to play professional hockey. Overdosed on prescription medication and nearly died. But he went through rehab, then on to university at Samwell, starting when he was 19 or 20, a bit older than his college peers. Given his exceptional talent, he was recruited by the Providence team to play professional hockey after graduating from university.”

“Then he came out on national TV on Eric’s and his terms. No big public announcement, but a simple act showing their love for each other.”

Henry pauses, and then says pensively, “I wish we could have chosen our way like they did.”

Alex pull Henry in close to let him know that it was turning out alright for them. He loves Henry for his intelligence, dedication, humor and kindness, even if he still hides those qualities behind the friendly but inaccessible public persona adopted by members of the British royal family and burdened by the unwritten expectations that kept Henry from being his true self for all those years. He makes a mental note to keep working on Henry to relax and be more at ease in public, so people can see the real Henry that he loves so dearly.

Alex then goes into his full rapid-fire analytical mode, looking at and discussing the details like he has always done with any issue. “The way Jack came out was a brave move. Major league sports in the U.S. aren’t known for their inclusiveness. Arguably one of the more important events in the advancement of gay rights in this country in the past decades. Not as important as the marriage equality rulings, but up there in changing the culture for the better. Something we know about.”

“History, huh?” Alex says with a grin, referring to a line he wrote in one of their hacked emails that was cruelly splashed across the tabloid media.

A small smile of acknowledgment forms at the corner of Henry’s mouth, knowing that they too have done something that has moved the culture.

Alex moves to brighten the mood. “I briefly chatted with Jack at a White House function, after his team won the Stanley Cup. Championship sports teams often come to the White House. Presidents use those events for PR purposes, even my mother, which I find annoying, but you know my mom. She plays the game. Nora did the Nora thing and peppered the coaching staff with questions about hockey statistics. June couldn’t stop gawking at the players.”

“So the hockey players you saw at the White House were good looking?”

Alex chuckles. “Like you wouldn’t believe. I wasn’t ‘officially’ bi then, it was still a year or so before I connected with you, but yes, they were hot. Think rugby-players-on-skates-with-big-sticks hot. Amazing asses. True works of art those butts.”

“I am intimidated and turned on.”

“Only a bottom would say that,” Alex jokes. Henry pinches one of Alex’s nipples hard.

“Ouch!” Alex yelps.

“You delicate lacrosse bro top,” Henry says, and Alex laughs.

“Okay, Prince Nipple Pincher, tell me about Bittle,” Alex says.

“Eric is smaller, height wise. I read that he was an extremely fast skater, which made up for his smaller stature when he played hockey at university. He’s cute.”

“I remember reading something about that,” Alex says. “I think he was the first out captain of an NCAA hockey team, which itself was something of a big deal.”

“Right again. Eric has a prominent social media presence and there are many candid and meltingly sweet photos online of the two of them doing fluffy domestic stuff and some shots from vacations. They look great in swimsuits by the way. Eric also has a vlog on baking. I haven’t seen that but it appears to be exceptionally popular.”

“I read about their wedding in People,” Alex remarks. “You know, one of the many celebrity rags that had pictures of us at some event or another.”

“Oh, right,” Henry says. They’re both silent for a moment, and they know each other is thinking about their own future wedding and what that would be like.

Breaking the silence, Henry says, “And look what I found on Eric’s instagram from 2020.” He shows Alex a picture of Eric and Jack holding hands on a beach in the Carribean. In the picture, Eric was wearing a t-shirt with the words “History, huh?” on the front.

“No way!” Alex exclaims as he sits up. “That was my line! How did we not know about this?”

“In all fairness, sweatheart,” Henry replies with a kind look at his boyfriend, “we were a bit busy dealing with a massive media-driven international gay sex scandal, security breach and email hack that eurpted at the apex of your mother’s presidential re-election campaign, not to mention my Grandmother the Queen’s insistent efforts to break us up and lock me back in the closet. We couldn’t know about everyone who supported us.”

“That’s true,” Alex says.

Henry focuses back on his laptop. “I found something else this evening. There is a massive amount of fan fiction about Jack Zimmermann and Eric Bittle online.”

Alex rolls his eyes again, this time out of annoyance. “Well, I know what that’s like. There’s a whole Library of Congress full of fanfics about me on some site called Archive of Us, or Archive of Our Own, or something like that. June used to send them to me when we first lived in the White House. In those stories, I had many romantic liaisons with women and men, some real people, some fictional characters from ‘Harry Potter’ or ‘Star Trek’ for fuck’s sake. ‘The Handmaid’s Tale’ inspired ones were creepy as hell. Other stories liked to throw me together with Justin Trudeau or Emanuel Macron, sometimes Trudeau and Macron at the same time.”

Henry chortles. “Any with Boris Johnson or Vladimir Putin?”

“I so do not want to know. June stopped sending them to me after she learned about us and I don’t look at them now. So, Jack Zimmermann, hot gay hockey player, and his adorable husband Eric Bittle, massive number of fanfics. Not shocked.”

“There are several involving Jack and us, either with you or me, or both of us together. Sometimes with Eric, sometimes with others like Parson,” Henry says nonchalantly.

Alex pushes his head back into the headboard, closes his eyes, and pinches the bridge of his nose with his free hand. “Do people have nothing better to do with their time?”

“I read one of them just before you got home,” Henry says with a slightly conspiratorial look on his face. “It is… interesting.”

“And I suppose you want me to read it,” Alex says, giving Henry a side eye.

“No! I want to read it to you!” exclaims Henry.

Alex turns to face Henry. “Who are you and what have you done with my brilliant and extremely well educated boyfriend who studied literature at Oxford, is an excellent writer, plays the piano beautifully, excels at yachting and polo and other rich people sports, and is third or fourth or whatever in line to the British throne?” Alex asks with a mix of sarcasm and kindness that Henry finds endearing and exasperating in equal measure.

“I will have you know, Mr. Alex Claremont-Diaz, First Son of the United States, that we royals are human too and do in fact on occasion get horny.”

Alex points to Henry’s body. “I knew there were hormones in there somewhere.”

Henry pinches Alex’s nipple again, this time harder.

“Okay, okay!” Alex cries, trying not to giggle. “Go ahead. Read it to me, you monster.”

“Excellent!” Henry exclaims as he jumps up, clears the papers off the bed and strips off his t-shirt and boxer shorts. Alex gazes in awe at his boyfriend. Henry is fucking gorgeous -- classically handsome face, tall, broad shouldered, narrow waist, musclular arms, torso and legs. He’s well built without being overly muscled like so many guys today. And his cock is long, thick and uncut. Alex’s own excitement starts to rise as he feels himself strain against his boxer briefs, which he promptly removes. Henry lays back down on the bed with his head propped up on some pillows and his laptop on his abdomen. Alex presses his own well-toned naked body against Henry’s side and rests his chin in the crook of Henry’s neck and gently runs his fingers up Henry’s firmly muscled and lightly hairy legs. He brushes the back of his hand against Henry’s stiffening cock.

Henry grins at Alex, catching his eyes. “You’re a menace.”

“Read me some porn about us and the hot hockey guys.”


	2. Bitty & Jack

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bitty chastises Jack, Bitty and Jack have sex in the shower, Bitty makes Jack breakfast, Bitty gets a surprise phone call.

“Jack Laurent Zimmermann! Do NOT drink milk straight out of the carton! And you are dripping sweat all over the floor!”

Jack turns around from facing the open refrigerator, his eyes as wide as saucers, to see Bitty standing in the kitchen in pajama bottoms and a Samwell hockey t-shirt with a scolding look on his face.

“I know that you were not raised by a pack of wolves up there in Canada, and four years living in the Haus does NOT excuse such behavior!” Bitty says disapprovingly while stifling the urge to laugh at the deer caught in the headlights expression on Jack’s face.

“I was thirsty after my run, Bits,” Jack pleads. “I mean, it’s not like I’m going to contaminate the milk for you. My mouth is all over you all the time.”

“Not the point,” Bitty continues, enjoying Jack’s obvious discomfort for being caught. “I was going to use that milk for a test recipe for a dish that I’m taking to an event that I’m catering in a few weeks. I was going to send it to the rink with you so George and the guys could try it out. Now I have to get a new carton.”

“Um, sorry?” Jack asks plaintively, with those big blue eyes that always melt Bitty’s heart.

Bitty breaks into a big grin. “Oh, you’re fine. I’m just giving you a hard time like any good Southern woman would. At least you went for a run while I slept in,” Bitty says as he approaches Jack for a hug then stops realizing that his husband, the star forward for the Providence Falconers for the past five seasons, is drenched in sweat.

“Um, you need to take a shower, NOW.” Bitty says as he points down the hall towards the master bathroom in their spacious and modern apartment in Providence. Jack gives a quick smile and walks quickly out of the kitchen before Bitty can chew him out again. After taking a couple steps, Jack turns back and grabs the milk carton off the counter and takes it with him.

“What am I going to do with that man!” Bitty says not so quietly, smiling to himself as he admires the rear view of Jack’s muscular frame as he walks down the hallway, milk carton in hand. “But that ass makes up for any transgression.”

“I heard that Bittle!” Jack shouts back as he rounds the corner into the bathroom.

****

A few minutes later, Bitty walks in the bathroom with two mugs of coffee. Jack is singing in the shower.

“Are you singing Beyonce?!” Bitty asks.

“Non, c’est Celine Dion!” Jack says loudly over the spray of water coming from the multiple shower heads in their luxurious and enormous shower. “The patron saint of Quebec!”

“More like the Patron Saint of Las Vegas now,” Bitty replies. “And no, that was definitely a Beyonce song you were attempting to sing. Never forget, I am an expert on Beyonce. But we do love Celine, especially since she was a regular guest at your parents’ house in Montreal.”

“Yes, she kind of was,” Jack says, laughing at one of the good memories from his youth as the child of a celebrity athlete father and mother who had many famous friends.

“I brought you some coffee. I didn’t put milk in it as, you know, you already have the carton in here,” Bitty says as he sits up on the bathroom vanity and admires all 6’2” of gorgeous Jack through the shower glass.

“Merci, mon cher!” Jack replies. “Want to join me?” he smiles at Bitty slyly as he sticks his head, covered in shampoo, out of the shower door.

“Is that even a question?” Bitty says through his t-shirt while he’s removing it, and then he slips out of his pajama bottoms, stepping into the spray of the shower and his husband’s arms.

Jack leans down and gives Bitty a kiss, their lips locking with a magnetic attraction that has not waned over the past five years and has only gotten stronger since their marriage two years ago.

Bitty runs his hands down Jack’s torso, covered with a sprinkling of hair, and rubs his husband’s taut abs. As Jack continues to kiss him, Bitty’s hand finds Jack’s cock, now standing erect from the thick dark pubes that start in the v shaped region just below Jack’s torso.

“You’re so fucking hot, Bits,” Jack says softly. “I’m so lucky to be with you.”

Bitty looks up at Jack, a warm smile on his face, his eyes starting to get wet and not from the spray of water from the shower heads.

Bitty embraces Jack for another deep kiss. Jack gently turns Bitty around and drops to his knees and runs his hands along Bitty's backside. Jack could barely contain his excitement. After all those years of hockey and figure skating before, Bitty has a rock solid ass that Jack is more than willing to explore.

Sex with Bitty is fun, Jack thought. Really fun. Jack had not had much sexual experience before Bitty with anyone, women or men. As for gay sex, he had only fooled around with Parse, and those were just vanilla hook-ups with a few blow jobs here and there. And Bitty had had almost no sexual history of any kind. As a couple, they had physically and emotionally opened up to each other in ways that neither would have imagined possible just a few years before.

“I want you inside me,” Bitty says in a low but firm voice. Jack stands up, wraps his arm around Bitty’s tight torso and grabs Bitty’s own impressive cock. Jack pulls Bitty’s hips close to his own, and Bitty whimpers as Jack slowly enters him and starts a slow, rhythmic thrust. This wasn’t hockey robot Jack going through the sexual motions to achieve a climax, but the kind and loving Jack who wanted above all else to make sure his husband knew that he was loved completely and unconditionally.

Bitty arched his back and threw his head back. Jack felt Bitty start to tighten around his cock. “Oh Jack!” Bitty exclaims.

Jack feels Bitty’s cock convulse in his hand. Jack himself peaks, unloading inside his husband.

“Bitty,” Jack says softly, nuzzling Bitty’s ear. “I love you.” Bitty turns, his eyes wet with happiness, and sees that Jack’s vivid blue eyes are also wet as Jack looks contently at him.

****

After finishing up the utilitarian purpose of taking a shower and getting dressed, Bitty makes Jack some breakfast.

“I don’t know how you do it, but your pancakes are the best,” Jack says.

“Why thank you, Mr. Zimmermann. Always my pleasure to feed my husband. And I like seeing you so much these days!” Bitty says.

The Falconers had been eliminated just a few weeks before in the first round of the playoffs. Jack was disappointed but not as upset as he would have been in the past like when Samwell lost the NCAA championship his senior year at college. He already had one Stanley Cup championship, in his rookie year no less, which was an amazing accomplishment for which he is grateful. His father’s own Stanley Cup championships came years apart. Jack knows he has time, and there are honestly things far more important to him than hockey now, like Bitty and the family they talked about starting, with some friendly hints from Jack's parents that they would love to have grandchildren. In any case, it was San Jose’s year to win. Jack and Bitty were thrilled that their Samwell teammate Chowder was playing so well for the Sharks.

“So what’s on your agenda today?” Bitty asks.

“I’m going to start getting ready for that meeting with the Foundation folks in New York later this week,” Jack says.

“Oh my goodness, that’s right!” Bitty exclaims, becoming visibly excited. He starts to speak rapidly.

“WILL YOU MEET PRINCE HENRY? HE IS SO CHARMING AND HANDSOME AND DELICIOUS! I DO NOT KNOW WHAT I WOULD DO WITH MYSELF IF I MET HIM! AND WHY AM I NOT INVITED? WAIT, YOU DID INVITE ME TO THE MEETING BUT I SAID NO BECAUSE I THOUGHT IT WOULD BE WEIRD FOR ME TO BE THERE, BUT WHAT WAS I THINKING SINCE HENRY IS SOOOOO CUTE! AND WHAT ABOUT ALEX CLAREMONT-DIAZ? WILL HE BE THERE TOO?! HE’S JUST AS HOT AS HENRY! IT WOULD BE SO MUCH FUN FOR US TO HANG OUT WITH HIM, AND HENRY, AND MAYBE WE COULD GET DRINKS AND DINNER AND FOOL AROUND….”

BItty’s hand shoots to his mouth, his eyes wide with embarrassment for having just said that last part. Jack burst out laughing.

“Why Mr. Bittle, you certainly have an active imagination!” Jack teases.

Bitty turns bright red as Jack tousles his hair.

Bitty’s phone rings. It’s Zara, his agent. Bitty hadn’t thought that he needed an agent before, but Jack encouraged him to retain one since his baking vlog had become so popular. He answers the phone and puts it on speaker.

“Hi Zara!” Bitty says, relieved that her fortuitously timed phone call had changed the subject.

“Good morning, Eric. I hope I didn’t catch you at a bad time,” she says.

“No, not at all. Jack’s here too on speaker. We’re just finishing breakfast.”

“Hey Jack. So Eric, I just received a phone call from a producer at the Food Network. They want to talk to you about starting your own show,” Zara says.

“No way!” Bitty and Jack shout at the same time.

“Yep, and they’d like to meet with you in New York this week if you’re available.”

“I am DEFINITELY available!” Bitty replies, beaming across the kitchen island at Jack, who is looking back at Bitty with a smile almost as big as the one he had on their wedding day.


	3. Dinner with Shitty Knight

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Bitty and Jack have dinner with Shitty Knight, their best friend and former teammate

“Jack Zimmerman and Eric Bittle! How’s the world’s cutest married couple? Bring it in buds, I love you guys!” Shitty says as he gives Jack and Bitty a group hug at the entrance of the restaurant in New York.

“We’re great!” Bitty replies with a huge smile for their former Samwell teammate and best friend. Shitty had been Jack’s best man at Bitty’s and his wedding. He was also the first person Bitty came out to all those years ago when Bitty was a freshman at Samwell.

“Careful, Shits, any more displays of affection may lead to fines,” Jack said jokingly, harkening back to the good natured fines imposed on hockey team members at Samwell for demonstrating words of affection to or about the people they were dating.

“I’ll buy you drinks instead of paying fines,” Shitty says. “But, seriously dudes, so great to see you guys. So happy to be in New York at the same time as you two.”

“Right this way, gentleman,” the hostess says as she leads them to a table. A few of the other patrons in the restaurant steal quick glances their way, recognizing Jack and maybe Bitty too. Shitty was not, however, a celebrity. He worked as counsel for the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee, a job he landed after his clerkship for a federal judge, a position he held after his graduation from Harvard Law. Shitty was a damn good lawyer, and had an incredibly bright future ahead of him.

“So what are you doing in New York, Shits?” Bitty asks.

“Ah, just Senate committee work, need to meet with some folks up here,” Shitty responded in a casual tone that also conveyed that he couldn’t talk about it.

“We video chatted with Lardo a few weeks ago. She seems to be doing well,” Jack says.

“Lardo is great. Wow, I don’t know how she can keep up not only making art but teaching at B.U. and she comes down to D.C. whenever she can. I go up to Boston too as much as possible. She has made it clear that she does not want to move to Washington. Calling it an industry town like L.A. but with ugly people. She’s not wrong,” Shitty chuckles.

“Someday she’ll agree to marry me, but till then I have to hold out hope I don’t blow it.”

“You, Shitty Knight, will not blow it. I have total confidence in you!” Eric replies.

“Thanks Bitty. Lardo is awesome and the best ever,” Shitty says with a puppy dog look on his face.

“Fine!” Jack exclaims, as Shitty raises his glass to Jack. 

“Heard you have a big day tomorrow, Bitty,” Shitty says.

“I do! I’m meeting with some producers and developers at the Food Network. They want to talk to me about doing a show. I still can’t believe this is happening. I hope it’s not just because I’m the husband of Jack Zimmermann, famous hockey player.”

“Absolutely not the reason,” Jack replies immediately. “The network is talking to you because there are hundreds of thousands of people who watch your vlog, and because you are the best at what you do.”

“Damn, I miss your pies,” Shitty says.

“I will send pies to you anytime! You only have to ask. ” Eric says, and Shitty and Jack both know that Bitty would in fact do that.

“And Jack, sorry about the season ending so soon,” Shitty says.

Jack shrugs but with a slight bit of regret. “We gave it our best, but we had a lot of injuries and a few key folks retired after last season. San Jose is playing great. I think they’re going to take it over Pittsburgh this time.”

“Can you believe the season that Chowder is having?” BItty says. “When I was a junior and later captain, Chowder was really my favorite frog, or waffle as we later called the newbies. Really sweet guy and a fantastic goalie. It’s so great that he may help the Sharks win the Cup this year.”

“Cheers to Chowder,” Jack says and they clink glasses again.

“I’m meeting with the Bridge Foundation tomorrow, Prince Henry’s shop,” Jack continues. “They are planning a big campaign with the You Can Play group to help young LGTBQ kids feel empowered to play sports. When I first came out, you know, with ‘The Great Gay Kiss,’ I didn’t want to become known only as ‘The Gay NHL Player.’ So I didn’t do a lot out outreach to the community. I just wanted to be the best hockey player. Maybe I was still focused on being a better player than my Dad,” Jack says evenly, and Bitty puts his hand on Jack’s. Jack didn’t think much anymore about the time when his anxiety and drive for perfection led him to a suicide attempt, but Bitty and he both know those memories cannot be entirely forgotten.

The Great Gay Kiss

“Anyone else working on this?” Shitty asks.

“Parse is, and a few others, including the two or three baseball and football players that are out, like Barron Rogerson who used to pay for Green Bay. And a few Olympic athletes, swimmers and divers mostly, a skier and figure skaters. Some soccer players. Men and women.”

“Of course the figure skaters will show up,” Bitty says a bit sardonically. “Trust me, I know about figure skaters.”

“Ah, Bits. Don’t stereotype,” Jack says. Bitty gives him the “I know what I’m talking about” look.

“So, back on subject, Parse,” Shitty chimes in. “You guys, uh, okay with him? I thought he seemed a little... wistful at your wedding.”

“Well, Parse is working through stuff still, I guess,” Jack says. “After Bitty and I became known as a couple, publicly, he graciously reached out and wished us the best, and he sought out advice on how to come out. His coming out was a bit less of a media circus than ours, but that’s because it wasn’t as much as a big deal by then. Though I understand he gets hassled by the homophobes a lot more than I do.”

“It’s because he’s prettier than you,” Shitty chirps. “All those guys throwing anti-gay slurs really have issues of their own and secretly want to get in his pants.”

“Kent Parson is not prettier than Jack Zimmermann! “ Bitty exclaims. “Jack Zimmermann is the MOST beautiful professional athlete in the world!”

“Certainly has the most beautiful ass in the NHL,” Shitty says, which earns a vigorous head nod from Bitty and an eye roll from Jack.

“Anyway, Parse is still sowing his oats,” Bitty says. “It’s like he’s going through gay teenage years. The gay gossip blogs cover his dating life, real or imagined, nonstop. He was dating Gil Axeworthy, the Olympic skier and TV actor, for a while. Axeworthy was his date at our wedding, you remember. We also hung out with them in Provincetown for a few days last summer. But that relationship ended just a few months ago. They both issued statements that they still have affection for each other, etc. etc. Typical celebrity PR speak.”

“Yeah, but enough about Parse,” Jack interrupts gently, changing the subject. “Getting back to why I”m here in New York. Hockey is still incredibly important to me, but there are other things that are equally important now like giving back to the community. So the reason I'm meeting with Prince Henry and his team tomorrow. Of course, I also have this guy, who is the most important part of my life,” Jack says, looking at Bitty. Bitty grips Jack’s hand again and looks lovingly into Jack's brilliant blue eyes.

“That’s clearly a fine, Zimmermann and Bittle!” Shitty laughs.

“Touche,” Jack responds. “We’re talking about starting a family.”

“FUCK YEAH!” Shitty shouts, and a more than a few of the patrons in the restaurant turn to look at them.

“Shitty, please!” Jack pleads. “It just an idea now, but Bitty and I really want to have a family of our own.”

“You guys will be great dads! The best! This is such great news!” Shitty says excitedly.

“Thanks, Shitty. That really means a lot to hear you say that,” Bitty says.

“Anytime! You guys are my best friends, and I you deserve everything you want!” Shitty says, while Jack and BItty have the biggest grins Shitty has ever seen on them.

“So, small world,” Shitty says. “Henry’s boyfriend, Alex, is going to be an intern in my office this summer. His family is good friends with Senator Rafael Luna, who's the chair of the Judiciary Committee. But of course there is his dad, Senator Diaz, and, oh yeah, right, his mother is the friggin’ President. Although I have heard he is very smart and a hard worker. He’s finishing up his second year at Columbia Law School, which is unfortunate,” Shitty says wryly.

“Spoken like a true Harvard man,” Jack says.

“I've never met them, but Henry and Alex seem SO GREAT! You’re going to ask Henry if they’ll have dinner with us, right Jack?!” Bitty asks enthusiastically.

Shitty raises an eyebrow, which Jack sees.

“Of course, Bits. I know you have a bit of a crush on the Prince and FSOTUS, not that they are hard to look.. I mean admire,” Jack says.

“Maybe you have a crush on them too, Mr. Zimmermann,” Shitty teases Jack, who starts to blush.

“Why, Jack Zimmermann, you’re turning as red as a ripe tomato just picked from Grandma’s’ garden in Georgia,” Bitty says with an amused look.

“I am not,” Jack says in a monotone voice even though he can feel his cheeks burning.

“Okay, whatever you say, Hockey Robot Zimmermann Model Mark II,” Shitty says. “Hey, I’m starving. Let’s order!”

Jack suppresses a laugh and beckons the waiter over to their table to take their orders.


	4. Group Chat

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Alex texts with June and Nora, Henry is just a bystander

**Alex: **Guess who Henry's meeting today?

**June**: Hey shithead. Long time no speak. Why you ignoring me?

**Alex**: We texted four days ago. I'm mortally hurt u think I ignore you. U just miss me.

**June**: OK I miss you. WH is so boring without the chaos you create.

**Alex**: How are Mom and Leo?

**June**: You ignoring Mom too? They're fine.

**Alex**: No! I had finals. Didn't want to get the "Here's what I did in law school so you need to do the same" lecture from Mom.

**June**: Fair enough. Who's Henry meeting?

**Alex**: Jack Zimmermann, hockey player

**June**: OMG! JZ is HOT! That ASS! That perma 5 o'clock shadow! Yummy! <attaches pic of Jack Zimmermann from a photospread in men's workout magazine, found by using Google image search)

**Nora**: Jack Zimmermann is in the upper 90 percent on the male beauty scale. So is Eric Bittle. I approve.

**June**: So you gonna meet them or just Henry? I would hit those two so hard. Don't care if they're gay.

**Nora**: I would too tho they're gay men and not girls.

**Henry**: Um, hello. I am on this group chat too.

**June**: Hi Henry!

**Alex**: Think H is scheduled to meet just JZ. A LGTB outreach program BFound is launching with out athletes.

**Henry**: Just meeting Jack. Will ask about Eric.

**June**: Super cool. A, when you back down here?

**Alex**: Job on Hill starts next week. Wish I could be real person and stay in apartment but SecService won't let me. 

**Alex**: But I miss Nora and you. Guess that makes staying at WH bearable.

**Henry**: Um, hello. I am still here. I may well miss you too Alex!

**Nora**: Oh dear Henry. We will share Alex with you.

**June**: Promise not to intrude when you pay a respectful visit to our treasured national residence to engage in "diplomacy" and "international relations"

**Henry**: You are all impossible.

**Alex**: LOL

**Alex**: H, will call you later <kisses emoji>

**June**: <barf emoji>

**Nora**: Bye all!


End file.
